Ex-Interior CS Fred Matiang’i distances himself from River Yala killings, calls for public inquest

Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has distanced himself from claims of a cover-up in the 2021 River Yala killings, stating that investigations were still underway when he left office and that the case should now be pursued through a public inquest.

Speaking to Citizen TV on Tuesday, Matiang’i said that blaming him for the deaths was politically motivated and likened it to holding him responsible for unrelated crimes such as road accidents or robberies.

“If I were responsible for a crime that was committed by a police officer when I was Minister for Interior, then I’m responsible for all road accidents, all robbery with violence cases… It’s just not possible,” he said.

According to the International Justice Mission, at least 36 bodies were recovered, with some showing signs of torture. The bodies were found in various states of decomposition, with some appearing to have been placed in sacks, sewn up, or with plastic bags over their heads, suggesting foul play.

Matiang’i said once the bodies were reported, he and other top security officials demanded an inquest and tasked the then Inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyambai and the DCI to investigate the matter directly.

“The gravity of the situation was such that the DCI himself should go to that place and find out what’s happening. When they came back, we asked for an inquest at the National Security Council,” he said.

According to him, the process involved tracing families to claim the bodies, collecting statements, and building a case file, which remained open by the time he exited government.

A police matter

“The file was open. It was not closed at that particular time because investigations were going on,” he said.

“I didn’t leave with the file. In any case, I would have nothing to do with the file as a Cabinet Minister. That was a police matter.”

Matiang’i insisted the police acted independently and accused critics of invoking his name selectively.

“Our detractors… they choose when it is convenient to say the police service is dependent on the minister. You wouldn’t even influence the investigation for any particular purposes,” he said.

Hold public inquest

He reiterated that the best way forward was to hold a public inquest, adding that he was prepared to testify.

“I’m ready to go before a magistrate or judge—whatever is going to preside over that inquest—and say what I know about it. Throwing stones for political convenience won’t help. We need accountability,” he said.

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Responding to claims that security agencies may have known about the killings in real-time, Matiang’i said police and DCI officers in the region had already written statements.

“Senior police officers wrote statements about that particular incident… the work was going on to piece together all those bits. That’s why the file wasn’t closed,” he said.

He also questioned why no action had been taken since then.

“Why can’t action be taken?” he posed.

Chris Msando murder

When asked about the unresolved 2017 murder of former IEBC ICT Manager Chris Msando, the former CS said he only knew what was publicly available and renewed his call for a public inquest.

“Every time the issue comes up, I say, why don’t we have a public inquest on this matter? If anybody has information of any kind implicating anyone, what stops them from taking it to law enforcement?” he posed.

Pressed on whether he pursued the case as Acting Interior CS at the time, Matiang’i responded, “The DCI kept saying investigations were ongoing… even if you are President, there is nothing much you can do.”

He added: “Every time you ask, they say, ‘We are investigating. We are following leads.’ What would you do?”

He accused critics of using politically sensitive deaths to further personal agendas.

“I’m concerned about the very low level of accountability in this country. In 2017, a politician claimed we had taken 100 body bags to Kisumu. I excused myself from a press conference, called the IG and DCI, and no one knew anything about it. I dared them to bring a video. They never did,” he said.

On the disbanded Special Service Unit (SSU), which was linked to the killing of two Indian nationals and a Kenyan in 2022, Matiang’i said he did not know of its existence.

“That was the first time I was hearing about it—when the President asked during our first security briefing. It wasn’t privileged information I had,” he said.

Day-to-day police operations

He explained that the Interior Ministry does not handle day-to-day police operations unless a matter becomes a national security concern or political issue.

“You cannot be briefed on every single police operation. That’s the job of the IG and their teams,” he said.

When asked if he knew about the killings of Zulfikar Ahmad Khan, Mohammad Zaid Sami Kidwai, and Nicodemus, Matiang’i said, “I read about them in the papers… the other day during court proceedings.”

He warned against commenting on ongoing court matters, saying he had always been advised to avoid it.

“If it’s a national security threat or of national note, you’ll be briefed. But every day, robberies or crimes? No,” he said.

He reiterated his call for a public inquest, saying, “Let us lift the carpet. Let’s start conclusive investigations on these matters and take action in the direction the investigations point us. Accusing one person today and another tomorrow will not solve the problem, and it won’t go away.”